Eritrea: Challenges and Crises of a New State

In its quest to ensure the effective defence of the country, the Government of Eritrea has increasingly become less tolerant of competing views and more intrusive in individual and communal affairs. As a consequence, there is now a “generalized fear of insecurity” in the country and this, in turn, has caused flows of refugees and other persons of concern to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is expected that these flows will continue until the perceived or actual threat from Ethiopia is averted.This paper concludes by offering suggestions to the United Nations and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.